Botox now and last time is completely different, less pain in the butt and soreness. Better this time.
Val I think so much about you and your neckproblem, take care dear
Corsica

:D Thats brilliant- maybe its zapped it for good this time. I'm glad you're feeling better!
Thanks for your concern, I shall be a blob on the bed for a long time yet And my hubby keeps buying me chocolate to cheer me up, so what with that and not being able to exercise, I could be a seriously BIG blob at the end of 6 months

I wonder if botox would help with you, Val? Maybe they can numb that area? I wish there was more that would do for you.

the trouble with our health system is we donr really get a choice in anything! To see any kind of consultant there is a 6 month wait (if you're very lucky!)
I cant get to the surgery at the mo, so at our GP's, you have to phone at 9am and ask for a callbackfrom a doctor, then some idiot gives his advice over the phone 4 hours later!
When i saw the consultant on thursday he said he could start me on pregablin- is that lyrica? but he said i would have to be weaned off the amitryptiline first and there was no point in that as it might make the pain even worse. I was just told to take as many painkillers as needed and not do anything! I think is ridiculous to expect someone not to do anything for 6 months and it means they aren't going to try anything to make it better. I think its because only the surgery can help and they dont want the disc fragment to migrate especially as its touching the spinal chord. So i'm stuck like it until then!!

That is crazy! Yes pregabalin is Lyrica. I have no idea why he said it would make your pain worse. How ridiculous. I can't believe they just expect you not to move for 6 months and put your life on hold. I would at least ask for the pregabalin and see if it helps since what you are doing now isn't working. Maybe a strong anti-inflammatory like Celebrex might be worth a shot.

Have you been able to use the bathroom okay with all of this going on?

Are there very few doctors in the UK?

Lecia wrote:Have you been able to use the bathroom okay with all of this going on?

NOOOO!! Sitting is worse than standing, so its a double whammy! Fissure pain AND neck/arm pain! Its driving me crazy, and I cant get anything done about my butt until october - and even then, i cant see they could do surgery with my neck in such a precarious state!

I dont know if theres an actual shortage of doctors here, theres certainly a shortage of good ones, they are very few and far between. We just have a crazy system in place with very long waiting lists. My mum had to wait 18 months for her knee replacement.

I wonder if you went ahead and did the fissure surgery if it wouldn't hurt as much because the other pain would override it, but I doubt they would want to too with your neck like it is.

I am so sorry that sitting is worse. Do you feel your fissure pain much with your neck pain? Do you feel constipated? Are you going every day?

This is just the most inhumane thing to keep you like this. It just isn't safe not to mention how much misery you are in. Have you made any brownies?

Sorry it's so rough, Val. I can only repeat Lecia, that's a long time and that really doesn't sound very fair.
How is it when you lie down, like on the couch? How on earth do you stay at the computer? I know when I just had a fissure alone, I could barely sit there long enough to type anything!

yeah, i need to make some brownies, it might calm me down!! I've googled the artificial disc replacement and its SCARY!!

I suppose I'll just wait and see if he will consider the fissure surgery. When i had the last one they asked me whether i had any back problems, just before they wheeled me in maybe because of the position they put you in to operate?

My fissure pain is dreadful today, and on the right side- its always been on the left before, so goodness knows whats going on. I give up!!

The pain meds make me constipated so i dont take them much, its difficult to know what the heck to do - its a vicious circle and i cant win!

Thanks Kim!

Yeah laying down makes the pain just about bearable! I've learnt to balance my laptop now! Hope i dont drop the damn thing though, we have a wooden floor!